


Sounds Fake But Okay

by TailorNorata



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Fake Marriage, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, I can't emphasize enough that they are both maddeningly dense in this, Idiots in Love, Interrogation, M/M, Murder Husbands, Oblivious Stiles Stilinski, Pining, Sharing a Bed, Steter Secret Santa, Steter Secret Santa 2020, There Is Only One Bed, briefly, but not really, mention of a witch feeding on the souls of children, tell me if i missed something, your honor they are stupid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:47:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28210074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TailorNorata/pseuds/TailorNorata
Summary: Stiles and Peter are in love with each other and have issues communicating that.Sadly they share a single brain cell and are both insisting the other one should use it.
Relationships: Peter Hale/Stiles Stilinski
Comments: 54
Kudos: 234





	Sounds Fake But Okay

**Author's Note:**

  * For [obsessedbutonline](https://archiveofourown.org/users/obsessedbutonline/gifts).



> Happy Holidays obsessedbutonline! I hope you like it :D

“You know…” Stiles said as he pushed the body of a dead hunter into the hole Peter had been digging. “I appreciate the help, I am sure you had better plans for a saturday night.”

Peter started to fill the hole with dirt and smirked at Stiles. “Better plans than getting sweaty and dirty with a pretty twenty-something, under the panoply of the stars?”

The pretty twenty-something snorted at that and grabbed the second shovel to help the process along. “Stop flirting, Creeperwolf, or I might eventually take you serious.”

The werewolf paused and leaned on his shovel, tilting his head to the side. “That’d only be a bad thing if you don’t want me to be serious, though.”

Stiles snorted again. “Gee Peter, are you going to propose next?” he teased, while shoveling more dirt onto the evidence of yet another crime they had committed together.

Peter didn’t answer, so Stiles did what he usually did to avoid awkward silence, he ran his mouth. “I guess being married would actually be helpful in some ways. Considering how often we witness each other commit felonies of varying sorts...we could invoke the spousal right to refuse to testify against each other - oh my Dad would hate that so much, it’d be funny though…”

Peter chuckled and Stiles felt relief, he had thought the suggestion they should marry might have been a step too far away from their usual mock flirting.

He was always at least a little scared that one day Peter might realize there was no mockery to the flirtations on Stiles’ part.

“We should probably at least go on a date before we get married, Sweetheart.”

Stiles groaned and threw his head back in an over exaggeration of agony. “Don’t mention dates dude...I’ve not been on a date in ages and I’d really prefer not to think about how devastatingly single I am…”

“Don’t call me dude. And in that case it sounds like maybe going out is just what you need. I could take you, if you want.”

Dear god no, Stiles did not want his crush trying to set him up with someone else. “Not you too Peter. Lydia, Scott, Melissa and my dad are all already nagging me about putting myself out there. Seriously, I am so close to just hiring someone to pretend to be my significant other to stop everyone from rubbing salt into the wound.”

Peter cleared his throat and Stiles looked up at the sound, there was something glinting in the man’s eyes. “Well maybe, if you asked, someone would be willing to be your boyfriend.”

Stiles sighed heavily. “That’s the whole problem I think. You know, I am learning that I’m just really not great at communicating these kinds of things. Or picking up on them to be honest. If someone was interested they’d probably have to go ‘Hey Stiles, let’s date.’ for me to get it.”

Peter raised his eyebrows and smirked. “Hey Stiles, let’s date.”

Stiles snorted and chuckled a little. “Sure…”

There was a pause in which Stiles kept shoveling dirt and Peter just stood there, seemingly waiting for something.

Stiles tried to find out what Peter might be waiting for and eventually he had a thought.

He really hoped it wasn’t a stupid one.

“Wait...are you saying you’d volunteer as a tribute to be my pretend boyfriend?”

The werewolf sighed deeply. “Well, if we started dating that would certainly solve the issue of people annoying you about being single. If you want.”

Stiles dropped the shovel, crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows. “Okay, suppose we become a couple, to stop people from annoying me. What do you get out of this?”

Peter gave Stiles a teasing smile. “Is it that hard to believe I might just enjoy your company?”

Stiles huffed and rolled his eyes. “Alright then, keep your secrets. But what if you find someone else you want to date?”

Peter shrugged. “For one, polyamory is a thing. But also, if you’d feel uncomfortable with that, we can always break up.”

He supposed that was reasonable.

Damn, Stiles was kind of getting into the idea.

Although he felt like there was some masochistic potential in fake dating a person you had genuine feelings for.

But was it bad to also like the idea, because at least he’d have something romantic to remember once Peter broke up with him for a real relationship?

Speaking of ‘real’ though: “Okay. But how would we convince others we are a couple now?”

“I suppose we’d announce it. Usually that does the trick. We aren’t applying for a green card here. Nobody is going to force us to kiss to prove we are in a relationship. But even if people were to second guess anything we already spend a lot of time together and call each other pet names. You keep my favorite teas in stock at your place and I have a box of your disgusting cereal in my cupboard. Not to mention the fact that I am very willing to kiss you to prove I am deeply devoted and in love with you, in the unlikely event that should ever be necessary.”

Stiles still felt like there had to be some sort of catch, something he wasn’t seeing, but this did sound very convenient. He’d just have to make sure he wasn’t overstepping in some way, he supposed.

He certainly hoped nobody would ask them to do anything like kiss each other. He did not like the idea of Peter kissing him, just to prove something.

If Peter ever kissed him Stiles would want it to happen because Peter genuinely wanted to do that.

“Alright then, let’s pretend date.”

Peter sighed again. “You probably shouldn’t call it ‘pretend dating’, it will be more difficult to convince people we are an actual couple if you do.”

“Fair point, boyfriend.”

  
  


~*~

  
  


Settling into a routine had been concerningly easy.

They didn’t even have to change that much.

They just started to spend even more time together.

So beyond doing research and hanging out a lot they now also regularly went to dinner together and went grocery shopping together for things they cooked together.

Sometimes Stiles slept over at Peter’s place, just to make a convincing couple of course.

Peter also suggested Stiles could occasionally wear his clothes because it was a simple way for Stiles to wear Peter’s scent with him, which would fool even those pesky werewolf noses into believing they were a genuine couple.

Scott and Stiles' dad weren’t the biggest fans of the development but everybody else was surprisingly supportive. Derek had even said it was about time they figured it out, which had felt a little strange, considering they had very much not ‘figured it out’.

But oh well, it was nice.

It felt so simple and seamless.

Peter was just so easy to have around.

There was nobody that got Stiles quite like Peter did.

It was truly perfect, except of course for the fact that it wasn’t real.

And yet it felt realer than some of Stiles' actual relationships.

Right now Stiles was putting away groceries while Peter was hanging up their laundry to dry and wasn't it weird enough that they did their laundry together?

To be fair, Stiles' washing machine had given up about two weeks ago and Peter's apartment was closer than his dad's house and he was already spending a lot of time there anyway.

He had been meaning to either fix it, if possible, or get a new one, but there had always been more pressing matters, and now probably more than half of his wardrobe had found its way to Peter's place and into the ever expanding part of Peter's walk-in closet that Peter had cleared for Stiles to use.

"You need new socks, Sweetheart" Peter said from the living room and pointedly showed Stiles a sock with a hole big enough for Peter to put two fingers through.

This was definitely weird, right?

It shouldn't feel this nice...right?

Was Peter happy?

Surely Peter had to want an actual relationship with someone he was genuinely attracted to.

Did Peter consider this mimic of a relationship all he deserved?

He knew the werewolf was sometimes suffering under the desire to punish himself somehow.

But Stiles would hate it if Peter stayed in this farce with him instead of pursuing happiness.

Peter lowered the sock and then pulled it off his hand and threw it back into the laundry basket before approaching Stiles.

Stiles realized he was holding the broccoli and suddenly remembered he had been putting away groceries.

So he turned away from Peter to place it with the other vegetables.

But a strong hand took it from him and placed it aside while the other gently guided him to turn back and face Peter.

"What's going on Stiles?" Peter asked softly and Stiles felt his knees weaken a little.

Peter being tender just had that effect on him.

"I…" what was he supposed to say?

The truth, Stiles supposed.

At least as much as he was comfortable sharing.

Peter deserved at least as much honesty as Stiles could muster.

"We've been in this fake relationship for months now...aren't you tired of me?"

The werewolf's face looked sad for a moment but then he schooled it into a smile. "No Stiles. I'll never be tired of you. Are you...unsatisfied with me?"

Stiles felt his heart beat in his throat at that question.

He had not wanted to make Peter doubt himself.

"NO." He blurted out. "I'm very, very...ehm...satisfied."

Stiles swallowed. "I like it." How do words? "I…guess I'm just worried I might be occupying you too much...taking advantage of you and your hospitality and...yeah…"

Peter's eyes did something Stiles noticed was happening more often the more time they spent together, but he couldn't really read it.

It might have been easy to mistake it for something loving, and Stiles was sure others did interpret it exactly thus.

But he knew better.

They were just…what?

Friends?

Were they friends?

Or acquaintances? A partnership of convenience?

How did one quantify these things…

Stiles certainly hoped they were friends.

Peter squeezed Stiles’ arm a little. "Love, you know me. If I needed space or felt taken advantage of, I'd tell you. But I really don't. Quite the opposite in fact."

Stiles raised his eyebrows in confusion but Peter continued. "I've been thinking about this for a while now. Wouldn't it be more convenient for both of us to share an apartment? Of course I understand if you don't want that. Having your own space is very important. But we could find a place that allows both of us to retreat if we need it. We could combine our libraries, so you don't have to borrow any of my books. We could combine our stock of magical ingredients too. We would also save money and could afford a better flat than the one you live in at the moment. And you wouldn't have to get a new washing machine either. Not to mention it would also just make sense, we are a couple after all."

For a moment Stiles didn’t know what to say.

Peter wanted them to move in together?

His mouth was hanging slightly open, he swallowed audibly, his lips suddenly felt dry and he licked them. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

Peter nodded. “If you like the idea, then yes. Obviously I would not want to make you uncomfortable in any way.”

Stiles was tempted to ask again whether Peter was sure or not, but he supposed the answer wouldn’t change.

Even before one factored in how nice it was to have Peter around, combining their households would make a lot of things easier.

Stiles of course hadn’t expected anything other than a well thought through conclusion from the man.

But, and this was crucial, Stiles did also like having Peter around.

And the reality was that this was truly convenient for them and if Peter liked the idea of them being flatmates, what consequences could there be?

  
  


~*~

  
  


The consequence, as Stiles eventually learned, was Cora visiting them to help them move into their new apartment and then crashing in their ‘guest’ bedroom.

So far they had always spent the night in separate beds, no matter how often Stiles had spent the night at Peter’s old place.

But with Cora sleeping in the bed that Stiles had planned on sleeping in from now on, they were forced to sleep in the same room, or risk their relationship being questioned by someone.

So here they were, still unpacking some of their stuff, not talking about the night that was to come.

“You know, I could sleep on the couch,” Stiles said eventually.

Peter placed some shirts in the closet. “If one of us slept on the couch it would be me. And I will do so happily, if it’ll be more comfortable for you.” Peter said.

Stiles huffed. “That’s not a solution. It’s your bed and it’ll smell like me, isn’t that like a werewolf den thing? I am pretty sure I read that that’s a thing…”

The werewolf had this weirdly fond expression again. “I like the way you smell, Stiles. I would enjoy having it in my bed, specifically because it is the heart of my ‘den’.”

Stiles blushed and turned back to the drawer he had been organizing. “Now you are just trying to be creepy to tease me. But jokes on you, I will sleep in your bed, just because you said that. Everything will smell like me.”

Peter chuckled softly. “Oh no, such harsh punishment. Are you going to cuddle up to me too?”

Stiles frowned and the blush crept from his cheeks and ears down to his neck. “If you aren’t careful I just might. See how you like it.”

What was this conversation?

Stiles was so confused, but he also wasn’t willing to back down now.

Peter had only himself to blame.

  
  


~*~

  
  


They were lying in bed together, Stiles was wearing a shirt and pajama pants while Peter apparently was comfortable sleeping in only his boxer briefs.

Which really was not fair.

Stiles had his back turned to Peter and tried not to take up space.

Despite his bold words he really did not want to inconvenience Peter or accidentally go too far.

“Sweetheart” Peter murmured lowly behind Stiles and he tensed a little more.

He had already done something wrong, he was sure.

He heard and felt Peter move and get up.

Then footsteps and he saw thick, muscular thighs come into frame before Peter crouched in front of him so they were face to face.

“Tell me what to do to make you comfortable, my love.” Peter said softly, that look in his eyes. “I am sorry, I never meant to pressure you into sleeping in the same bed as me.”

Stiles felt so confused. “You didn’t. I just...don’t want to overstep.” he said, realizing how small his voice sounded.

Peter reached out with his hand, hesitated for a moment and then cupped Stiles’ face. “You aren’t overstepping. I have never minded you being in my space Stiles. Neither do I mind you cuddling me, by the way. I am almost certain nothing you’d want to do with me could make me uncomfortable. What would make me uncomfortable would be if you felt like you had to do anything you don’t want to do. So, do you want to sleep in this bed tonight?”

Stiles felt tears pricking at his eyes, Peter was such a loving and caring person and Stiles did not at all mind sleeping in his bed.

And he did trust Peter to tell him if him sleeping in this bed was a problem.

So he nodded.

“Are you comfortable with me sleeping next to you?”

Stiles swallowed and nodded again. “Of course” he said hoarsely.

Peter gave him a gentle smile. “Do you want to cuddle?”

He had to swallow again. “Do you?” he asked back, looking at Peter’s eyes.

The man’s smile widened a little. “If my partner shows enthusiasm for it I generally welcome the serotonin.”

Stiles had to giggle a little at the phrasing before he nodded. “Yes, give me the serotonin.” he demanded and opened his arms.

Peter climbed back into bed and they wrapped around each other. Stiles rested his face on Peter’s chest and felt himself breathe deeper and more relaxed with the warmth and soothing influence of having the man he loved all around him.

“This is nice…” he mumbled while Peter lazily traced patterns on the back of Stiles’s shirt, caressing the skin underneath.

Peter hummed in agreement. “We could just start sleeping in the same bed if you want…” he suggested.

Stiles propped himself up a little to look at the bits of Peter’s face he could make out in the dark. “Are you sure?”

Peter smiled and cupped Stiles’ face with one hand, Stiles couldn’t resist leaning into it a little. “Yes, I am sure, love. You are welcome in my bed for as long as you like.”

Stiles was glad Peter probably couldn’t see the blush on his cheeks this time, as he placed his head back down with a strange feeling of contentedness. “Okay, I guess that means we have a guest room then.”

  
  


~*~

  
  


Life was good.

It had taken him longer than he was willing to admit, but Stiles realized that Peter was actually satisfied with their arrangement.

And so was Stiles.

They had been in this strange partnership for almost two years now and Stiles could honestly say it was more than he had ever expected to get.

He knew, of course, should Peter ever meet someone he genuinely loved, then this thing would be over.

But Stiles had grown as a person and he knew the way he felt about Peter did not demand for them to stay together.

What Stiles wanted most was for Peter to be happy.

So as long as Stiles’ presence was contributing to Peter’s happiness he’d stay.

And should he ever become a burden he’d leave without making trouble.

Of course it’d break him, in more ways than he could count, but he would rather have had this time with Peter and then give it up than never having had it at all.

So, life was good.

In a strangely pessimistic sense maybe.

But it was.

And that was his point of view, even while sitting in an interrogation room two counties over, waiting to explain why they had been in the woods, close to where a woman had gone missing only two days prior.

He of course couldn’t tell them that they had hunted down and killed the woman - a child sacrificing witch actually - and would already have been long gone if it weren’t for the pendant she had used to trap the kids’ souls and feed off their life force.

They had been looking for it when a more perceptive than usual police dog had caught them off guard.

Stiles had found the necklace with the pendant moments earlier and had swallowed it as he had registered the telltale signs of cones of light through the trees and the low sounds of officers talking to each other.

He still wasn’t sure if that part had been a smart or really dumb move.

In general he wouldn’t recommend swallowing magical objects you knew very little about.

You usually shouldn’t even swallow magical objects you knew a lot about.

But the more pressing matter right now was getting out of this room, station and gods-forsaken shit heel of a town as soon as possible.

So he was eager to get this interrogation over with.

Which was exactly why he was making an effort to be as calm, polite and non-irritating as he could possibly be, when the deputy finally entered the room to question him.

“Sooo Mr...uh...Stilinski. Do you know why you are here?”

Stiles nodded with a solemn expression. “Yes Sir. I have gathered from what your colleges said that near the spot where my boyfriend and I were taken into custody, a woman disappeared. Though that is all I know I’m afraid.”

The deputy seemed unimpressed. “If you knew nothing about the disappearance then what were you doing in that part of the forest?”

Stiles knew to stay calm, but stupidly he and Peter had not planned for this - which was definitely a mistake they would not make again if they had the chance - so he’d have to guess what Peter might have said. Knowing Peter, though, he had a pretty good idea what that sly bastard had made up.

Peter knew as well as Stiles that admitting to doing something ‘wrong’ but not ‘criminal’ was a good way to distract from anything that might come off as suspicious.

Not to mention it would make the officers relax around him if they thought he was socially and intellectually inferior to them.

It wasn’t hard to blush when thinking about him and Peter doing naughty things in the woods.

A fantasy, of course, but a useful one.

“We…” he started, voice weak and embarrassed. “We had plans...to...to have…” he took a deep breath and avoided eye contact, looking at the table in front of him “sex.” he said, almost inaudible.

The deputy leaned forward with a mildly amused smile. “I’m afraid you will have to repeat that for me, Mr. Stilinski.”

Stiles pressed his lips together and then let his eyes move from the table to his hands, retreating even further. “We had plans to have sex in the woods.” he answered with a resigned tone to it.

The deputy was now full on grinning. “Lucky you we caught both of you before things got steamy then, sunnyboy.”

Stiles did not like being called pet names by strangers, but it was a good indicator the guy had taken the bait.

The deputy leaned back, relaxing into his chair, looking entertained and smug.

Stiles knew he had him.

After they were finally free to go - partly because someone called Stiles’ dad and partly because both of them were now nothing more than an entertaining story to tell at the pub - Peter took Stiles’ hand as they walked to their car.

When they sat in the car Peter gave him a knowing smirk.

“Sex in the woods?” he asked and Stiles nodded.

“Good thing we know each other so well.”

Stiles enjoyed the chuckle that came from Peter.

“I am your boyfriend after all.” he said.

Stiles felt his guts twist, as they sometimes did when Peter said such things.

They were true to a degree.

Stiles just wished they were truer still.

Even though he knew it was selfish to wish for that.

“Though I have been thinking about changing that.” Peter continues and Stiles suddenly feels those guts turn to concrete and settle heavily in his body.

Or maybe that was the piece of magical jewelry traveling through his digestive system.

He had hoped they’d have more time together, but he supposed it wasn’t fair to ask for more.

“So you found someone then?” he swallowed hard “that’s great.”

Peter sighed and shook his head before pulling something out from under the driver’s seat. “I meant to give this to you once we dealt with the witch, but since we got derailed a little, I thought now was really as good a time as any, considering our...hobbies.”

Stiles took the small box Peter was holding out to him and stared at it for a moment, struggling to comprehend.

“Maybe open it?” Peter suggested and Stiles did.

Inside was a ring.

It was a simple silver band with a cluster of clear stones that Stiles was pretty sure were diamonds. It was hard to miss what kind of ring this was.

“If this is a joke, it’s a very expensive one, Peter, even for you.”

Peter rolled his eyes and shook his head.“It is not a joke. Here, I’ll do this right then.”

He took the box out of Stiles hands again and held it out to him. 

“Mieczyslaw Stilinski, will you marry me?”

Stiles stared at Peter and then at the ring again. “I mean, we talked about the benefits before, but are you sure?”

Peter did not hesitate. “Yes, if you will have me, then I am sure.”

He swallowed hard. It did make sense, they had talked about it before.

Not just that they didn't have to testify against each other, but there were also other things, like visitation rights. That’d make it a lot easier to use magic to heal the other, should they ever end up in a hospital again.

And if one of them ended up in prison it’d also give them more possibilities for contact…

Those were all good reasons.

So Stiles didn’t have to feel bad about also really liking the idea of marrying Peter, being able to call him his husband, to spend their life together.

“Yes. What the hell, let’s get married.” His stomach made an unhappy noise. “First let’s finish this job though.”

  
  


~*~

  
  


It was the day of the wedding.

Close to the start of the ceremony actually.

Stiles was having a panic attack.

Scott and Lydia both had tried to calm him down, but they didn’t really understand what was going on and Stiles would make sure that it stayed that way, because this was the worst possible moment to try and explain the convoluted circumstances that had led him and Peter to this point in their life.

On the other hand, if he intended to stop the wedding anyway he supposed this was a way to do it?

Or maybe that’d just make things worse?

If they blew the wedding then they’d certainly make it into the local news and he’d ruin Peter’s reputation, but if he went through with this he might tie Peter down and Peter would never find someone to actually be happy with, all because of Stiles, because Stiles was too selfish to just let go.

The door to the room Lydia had ushered them into opens and Scott and Peter enter.

Stiles hadn’t even really noticed Scott leaving the room in the first place.

“What the fuck, Scott?!” Stiles asks incredulously.

Scott meanwhile seems to shrink into the safety of Peter’s back. “I thought he might be able to calm you down…Lydia, let’s...wait outside.”

Lydia seems all too happy to leave the room for a while and soon only Stiles, still brimming with anxious energy, and Peter, calm and collected as always, looking at Stiles as he so often does, are left.

“Tell me what is going on, Sweetheart.” Peter asks compassionately and Stiles tries to find his voice.

“I...you...this...I just...is this really a good idea Peter? You will be bound to me, like...legally. And sure, we can get divorced, but you know this still is a whole thing and I know it’s like way way late to have a freakout about this but like...what if you meet someone you actually love?”

Peter sighs deeply and takes Stiles’ face in both hands. "Stiles, my love, I really don't know what it will take for you to see that I am entirely devoted to you."

Stiles blinks in confusion. “What are you saying?”

There is something like amusement in Peter’s expression. “I am saying I love you, Stiles.”

“Oh, ok…” Stiles says more perplexed than anything else.

There is a knock on the door and Lydia pokes her head in. “Guys, everyone is kinda waiting for you…”

“We are coming.” Peter says and she nods, waiting for them at the door.

Peter kisses Stiles on the forehead. “Will I see you inside, Stiles?”

Stiles already knows the answer to that question.

He is very confused but he knows he still wants to marry Peter, so he nods. “Of course.”

And with that, Peter leaves and Stiles follows.

Soon enough Stiles is walking down the aisle and they are exchanging their vows. Everything feels so fast and all he can think about is Peter’s words.

He desperately wants to talk to him, wants to clarify and know more.

The priest tells them they can kiss now and Peter places an agonizingly chaste kiss on Stiles’ lips.

It feels more real and desperately hopeful than Stiles thinks he can handle.

But before he can have a crisis of mind the church bells start to ring and they make their way down the aisle towards the door.

“Sooo…” Stiles starts, low enough so nobody except Peter can hear him over the bells. “do you mean like you love-love me?”

“Yes.” Peter says easily.

Stiles takes a shuddering breath. “Like...wanting to be in a committed relationship kind of love?”

Peter turns to Stiles in the doorway of the church and stops. “Stiles, we are married. How much more committed can I get before you believe me?”

“Oh right…” Stiles mumbles and this time he gets it.

He can feel his eyes fill with tears and a moment later they are spilling, but he is smiling and this certainly is a lot to take in at once.

But he knows one thing for certain.

“I love you too, you fucking asshole.”

Peter gives Stiles a wide and elated smile, like he is genuinely surprised to hear it. “You do?”

Stiles huffs and wraps his arms around Peter’s neck. “Did I stutter?”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!  
> I hope it was at least as much fun for you to read it as it was for me to write it :D  
> If you want to make my day please leave a comment on your way out <3
> 
> And Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year to all of you lovely people!


End file.
